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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Book Review - The 300 Club

About the Book
Since the beginning of Major League Baseball in 1876, only two dozen pitchers have won 300 games. And because of new philosophies about pitch counts, the role of relief pitchers, shrinking strike zones, and five-man rotations, there's a good chance that the 300 Club has admitted its last member.

In The 300 Club - Last of a Breed - author Dan Schlossberg chronicles the most exclusive fraternity in baseball. Beginning with Cy Young and Walter Johnson, the only two players to win more than 400 games, the book reviews the careers of all 24 pitchers in the club. Exclusive interviews with 10 living 300-game winners, including Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and Greg Maddux, form the heart of the book. Johnson was the last pitcher to join the club, winning his 300th during the 2009 baseball season.

The book also investigates the very real possibility that no pitcher will win 300 games again. Changes in relief pitching, salaries, starting rotations, and injuries are conspiring to keep the 300 Club "closed." Sprinkled with rare photos from the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, this book explains how this unusual collection of 24 men managed to win so many games, and why other standouts, such as Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax, fell short of the magic number.

The 300 Club is about "the last of a breed," but the book is the first of its kind - a fast-paced and thorough exploration of the best pitchers the game has ever seen.

About the Author
Dan is the author or co-author of 35+ baseball books and more than 25,000 articles about baseball and has contributed to Baseball Digest, The Sporting News, MLB.com, the All-Star Game and World Series programs, plus annuals, other publications, and baseball card projects. The former Associated Press sportswriter also is the host and producer of Braves Banter, a half-hour weekly radio baseball show.

My Take on the Book
This is a great book that truly makes you think about baseball. He brings out some good questions about whether we will ever see another 300 game pitcher. This is a great question, and the way that the author brings out the question through some great introspection into 24 amazing pitchers. This book was a great book that went so deep into their careers.The book does more though than just looking into these pitchers' careers, but instead makes the reader consider so much more. I found out so much more about the game than I knew in the past, and he brought up a ton of great points that any baseball lover should read! What do you think, will we ever see another 300 game pitcher?

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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